Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-06-06
BE YE STRONG"
A DISCOURSE on the SuDJect OF
Character Building

Rev. w. j. Chichester continued his
series OF discourses to young people in
the First Presbyterian Church last even
ing. He took his text from the Goth
verse OF the 2Sth chapter of LIST Chron-
icles: "And David said to Solomon, his
son, ''Be we strong?" In the building
of character the first thing to do is to
lay a good foundation. Without this
the life will be as unstable and as sub
iect to ruinous accident as house erect
ed on moving sand. The corner stone
of a sure foundation for character is to
take Christ and His teachings into the
heart. Who does this will be sure to
build up a noble superstructure. But
character must be supplemented with
the qualities of force, earnestness of pur-
pose, strength of will and deter
mination in the right direction.
The mere facile Christian who is with
out strength in his makeup, and exhibits
only neutral qualities, can never accom-
plish much for himself or for Others. He
NAV be an excellent man in many
respects, but he will be without charac-
ter in the sense that he will exercise any
perceptible influence for good upon 9th
ers. Then in order to upbuild charac-
ter there must be a purpose in life.
Every young man should have goal
which he is determined to reach. That
| will fire his ambition, bring into play all
the strong qualities of his nature and
encourage the development in himself OF
steadness, earnestness, patience and
courage. No man accomplishes great
things unless he has succeeded in
establishing basis of character
before he enters upon his life work
| Washington's generalship is less adj
mired than his beautifully rounded and
symmetrical character. So with Lin
coin, Garfield, Lee and Stonewall Jack
son. History loves to dwell upon thu
moral character of eminent person
ages even more than upon the deed
they were enabled to accomplish by
virtue of the lofty character they has
built up for themselves. The aim o
every young man and woman ought tt
be high. They may not be able to reacl
the mark; but even if they fall short O
it, the fact that they are striving to ex
alt themselves, will fit them to attain a
lofty round in the ladder of life a
their natural endowments will permit
1t will give them character as the,
progress, aud whatever point the
NAV reach it will certainl
be within the circle of thos
4 who are esteemed by the world. Wit
a foundation in the Christian virtue
. there is no limit to the possibilities of
$ Young man afiluent in mental qualities
Q | If he will cultivate the powers of hi
E intellectual nature and develop by prac
l tice the manly attributes of stron
t character, even without extraordinar
n aptitudes, he will take high and envi
able place among men. But the crownin
IS glory of all character is faith in Chris
: This completes and perfects the rouude
e character, which, like the coin that hi
:. come out of the crucial test of fire on
n been hammered into shape and stampt
n with the divine impress of the Maste
lie will pass current and be accepted wit
ID out question everywhere. To reach ii
d contamination so devoutly to be wishe
a the words OF David 10 his son su
in gest the basis principle; "Be
lStrong."